November, 2007

CAPITAL UPDATE
U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL – NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION CHAPTER

USGBC Announces a call for new LEED for Homes Certification Providers.

USGBC plans to establish contractual relationships with approximately 20 new LEED for Homes Certification Providers nationwide. These individual Providers will be the primary verification and certification agents for the LEED for Homes program, with USGBC providing quality assurance oversight. Each Provider organization will be responsible for the selection, training, scheduling, and quality assurance of a team of in-field inspectors and/or green raters.      

To learn more about the program and to obtain the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) form, contact USGBC.  The RFQ includes background information on the LEED for Homes Program, the submittal instructions for organizations interested in applying to be selected as LEED for Homes Certification Providers, and a six-page submittal form.    
Submittals are due to USGBC by 5 PM EDT on Wednesday, November 28, 2007.  Submittals that are not complete will be disqualified.

If you have questions, please send them to homes@committees.usgbc.org

Sidwell Friends Hosts November Chapter Tour

More than 70 NCR chapter members and guests heard presentations on green building in schools and then toured the first LEED Platinum school in the country- Sidwell Friends School in Northwest Washington, DC.

Mike Saxenian, Chief Financial Officer of the school, opened the program by providing an overview of Sidwell Friends' decision to build state of the art 'green' facilities and how it changed the values, culture, and operations of the school. Mike examined such topics as cost-based decision making and value-engineering in a LEED context, tools for building consensus on sustainability issues, integration of curriculum and operations, and harmonization of environmental, operational, curricular, and financial objectives.

As the Chief Financial Officer and the Assistant Head of the Sidwell Friends School, Saxenian had oversight on the construction of the LEED-Platinum certified Middle School from its beginning in 2004 and managed the construction budgets and schedules.  He represented the school at meetings with the zoning commission, the DC City Council, and local advisory councils, and worked to create harmony between neighbors’ needs and the School’s goals.

Next, Marilyn Juban, the NCR chapter’s LEED for Schools program advocate for the National Capital Region, offered an open invitation for everyone to get involved in the program and to promote green schools in their neighborhoods. Anyone interested in getting involved in the LEED for Schools program may contact the chapter office.  All inquiries will be forwarded to Marilyn.

Following the program, the audience broke into two groups to independently tour the entire Middle School building and to learn all of the elements that helped it to achieve the LEED Platinum rating.  For more information on Sidwell Friends and the actual energy savings that they have achieved, visit:  http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1721#schools.

EPA Announces IAQ Tools for Schools National Symposium in Washington!

Be part of the national effort to ensure good indoor air quality for every student in America’s schools. IAQ Tools for Schools is a nationwide initiative to help school officials improve student health and productivity through addressing, resolving, and preventing IAQ problems.  More than 500 attendees will learn the latest research linking school indoor air quality to student health and performance; participate in problem-solving discussions with peer faculty; share best practices for launching and maintaining successful IAQ management programs; celebrate the 2007 National Excellence Award winners.

EPA will host its 8th Annual IAQ Tools for Schools National Symposium on December 6-8, 2007, in Washington, DC, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, (http://grandwashington.hyatt.com/property/index.jhtml) conveniently located near Metro Center.

Interactive sessions led by IAQ experts and peer faculty will focus on key drivers that lead to successful IAQ management programs. Themes include communicating your IAQ successes, creating a plan to address IAQ issues, assessing your facilities, and organizing, launching, and sustaining an effective IAQ management program. Special technical sessions will address managing mold in schools, the fundamentals of risk communication, high-performing schools, green cleaning products and practices, managing health risks from radon, asthma-friendly schools, and more.

Anyone interested in safe and healthy school environments should attend—including school board officials, decision makers, administrators, architects, school nurses, teachers, facility managers, school and health association members, parents, and others interested in maintaining good indoor air quality in our nation’s schools. Register Now at www.iaqsymposium.com to learn more about the 8th Annual IAQ TfS National Symposium.   Registration is $330.00 per person.

Green Advantage Announces Course at Airlie Conference Center

Become a Green Advantage certified builder, developer, contractor by attending the next Green Advantage Workshop on December 10, 2007 at the Airlie Conference Center in Warrenton, VA. The workshop is an 8 AM to 5 PM course taught by green building experts which will prepare trainees for the Green Advantage® Commercial Exam. Practitioners who pass the Exam become Green Advantage® Certified for a three-year period and are listed on the Green Advantage® national register.

The Green Advantage Workshops and Certification Exam are not directly related to the requirements for the LEED® AP Accreditation.  However, workshop participants become knowledgeable enough about the LEED® rating system as it applies to construction to be an active partner with design professionals to achieve a LEED® rated building. Green Advantage workshops are targeted to contractor personnel whereas the LEED® AP Accreditation courses are targeted to architects and design.

Cost for the workshop is $450 per person. For more details or to register, go to:  www.greenadvantage.org.  Call 215-310-9784 if you have questions.

NCR Chapter Launches New CareerCenter Through Website

The NCR chapter is adding a new feature to its website – a job posting service.  For the first time, green building professional firms have a source to post open positions and potential employees can post resumes highlighting their qualifications.  The job market related to architecture, design, building and construction in the Metro Washington, DC region is expanding rapidly.  You can be part of the excitement.

Demand for the convenience of specialized, regional online job boards has increased 20% over last year. Job seekers are already using online services and want more visibility to top employers. Recently, the Wall Street Journal Online reported that employers are flocking to online job boards and moving away from commercial job boards for a lack of qualified candidates. Unlike commercial job boards where hundreds of unqualified job seekers apply, the USGBC-NCR CareerCenter directly connects qualified sustainable design candidates to employers.

Posting your job on the USGBC-NCR CareerCenter’s Resume Agent feature, employers can:

• specify specific skills and search for the right candidate through the resume search
• have unlimited access to resumes
• activate features such as candidate notification
• save to favorites to help manage potential interviewees

Post a job before December 31, 2007 and save 15% off the regular price. Use the promotion code HireGreen to take advantage of this special offer. To list a job posting, visit www.usgbcncr.org after December 1, 2007. For more details and discounts for multiple listings, contact the chapter office at (703) 433-0707.

Host Locations Needed for 2008 LEED Workshops

Does your office have a sizable training facility?  Could you host a training program for 40-80 participants?  Are you conveniently located near public transportation? 

The NCR chapter is embarking on an aggressive program to bring more LEED-related technical workshops to the DC Metro region.  We are seeking training venues in Virginia, the District of Columbia and Maryland in which to offer workshops varying from 40-80 students.  If interested, please contact the chapter office at (703) 433-0707 to discuss course dates and specifics.

District’s DOE Seeks Input from NCR Chapter Members

District of Columbia Department of the Environment (DDOE) and Green Building Advisory Council (GBAC) are looking at code language that incorporates green building into the District’s building code.  DC’s Green Building Act of 2006 requires the Mayor to “submit to the Council for approval construction code revisions that shall incorporate as many green building practices as practicable…”  The aim is to identify best practices in green building code amendments, especially from other jurisdictions and to recommend clear, workable and practical code amendments that will facilitate green building and economic  development.

DDOE wants the input of National Capital Region members to help with this project.  In particular, they are looking for:

• Known examples of building code language that prevents, delays or otherwise impedes green building practices,
• Specific examples from other jurisdictions of successful green building code amendments,
• Specific suggestions where code can be improved particularly in the areas of water efficiency, energy efficiency, durability and indoor air quality,
• Sources of cost information regarding green building practices or code mandating these practices,
• Barriers to adoption of building code amendments facilitating green building practices.

NCR members can also assist with gathering and analyzing this information.  The deadline for completion of this project is the end of December.  Individuals who wish to take part as advisory team members may interact through a web-based forum and an initial face-to-face meeting thus minimizing non-productive time commitments. NCR members wishing to participate in this effort should contact Lacy Brittingham, Cunningham Quill Architects, (202) 337-0090 , or by email at lbrittingham@cumminghamquill.com. The Chapter will keep NCR members apprised of progress on this project.

LEED Workshops Announced for January and February, 2008

The NCR chapter has announced dates and locations for upcoming LEED workshops.

On January 23, the chapter will offer LEED-101, a half-day introduction to the LEED rating system.  This course provides an introduction to the USGBC and explains the basics of green buildings. The course includes an overview of LEED Rating Systems, both what they are and how they work, and presents a hypothetical LEED project which illustrates the key concepts of integrated design.  The course also describes some next steps you can take towards integrating green into your practice, including becoming a LEED Accredited Professional. The course will take place at the ASAE (American Society of Association Executives) Conference Center, located at 1575 Eye St., NW.

On February 7, the chapter will present its first LEED for Schools workshop, also at the ASAE Conference facility. This is a full-day overview of the LEED rating system for schools where  participants learn about cost/return on investment of LEED for Schools projects, as well as the community benefits and outreach, and productivity and health benefits. Also covered are the integrated design process and its importance to the success of projects. In addition, participants will gain knowledge of funding issues such as sources, bonds & tax issues, and decision makers to influence.

Also in February, the chapter offers the first LEED for New Construction Technical Review Workshop, on February 19.  The full-day course will take place at National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corp headquarters in Herndon, VA.  The training facility is located at 2201 Cooperative Way, Herndon. Public Transportation is available through metro.

For registration details, or to register for any of these courses, go to:  www.usgbc.org, click on “Education” and follow the prompts.

Looking for exposure to a defined and qualified audience? Your company can support the chapter by being an exclusive sponsor of a LEED workshop. For details, contact the chapter office at info@usgbcncr.org.

NECA’s Washington DC Chapter – Playing a Growing Role in the Green Building Movement

Several years ago—early in the green building movement—the National Electrical Contractors Association realized that a building’s power system was a critical component in making it more energy-efficient. Understanding the vital role electrical contractors play in the pre-engineering and design processes, NECA began investing time and money in teaching its members about the intricacies of green building – and LEED® certification, in particular.

One of the leaders in the drive to stay abreast of this quickly evolving industry is NECA’s Washington D.C. Chapter – the platinum sponsor of the USGBC National Capital Region Chapter.

“The fact that we are located in the Washington Metropolitan Area—the epicenter of the green building movement—was one reason why we have taken such an active role,” explained Andrew Porter, executive director of the Washington, DC Chapter, NECA.

“Irrespective of our location, we realized that our electrical contractor members should really be critical members of the design team when decisions about sustainability and energy efficiency are being made,” he added.

Training for Today’s Green Buildings

In order to make the electrical contractors as valuable to the design team as possible, NECA embarked on a training initiative. Its first step was funding a grant to Professor David Riley, an expert on green building from Penn State University. The grant culminated in a workshop for NECA contractors that detailed the green building movement; described the steps involved in getting LEED certification; outlined the role of the electrical contractor; reviewed cases studies; and enumerated the benefits to building owners.

Moreover, NECA members are actively pursuing LEED Accreditation training to earn the professional qualifications needed to become more valued contributors.

NECA’s training extends beyond its contractor members to the electricians in the field. NECA, along with IBEW Local 26, run an intensive training program for apprentice electricians called the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC). Apprentices complete a 5-year program of classroom and on-the-job education. The training is rigorous and comprehensive, and equips electricians with the skills they need to work on the complex buildings that are applying for LEED Certification.

Supporting the Cause

Being a Platinum Sponsor of the USGBC National Capital Region Chapter is one way NECA supports the green building movement. Another recent example was its sponsorship of the teams from Penn State University and the University of Maryland in the Solar Decathlon held on the National Mall, October 12-20. NECA also supplied trained electricians to Carnegie Mellon University, Kansas Project Solar House, University of Texas and Team Montreal. Instructors and apprentices from the JATC worked practically around the clock to help hook up power systems.

Big Picture

NECA’s role in the regional construction industry extends beyond its commitment to improving green building practices. From labor relations and worker safety to financial management and management training, NECA works to make the electrical construction industry more professional, and more productive. NECA gives its members an effective "voice" in the industry. The Chapter is a valuable tool for members in shaping the electrical and telecommunications industry.

“The end result is providing the best possible electrical construction services for the wide array of construction projects in the Washington area,” said Porter.

Platinum Sponsor

Silver Sponsor

Bronze Sponsor

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION CHAPTER 21165 Whitfield Place, Suite 105 Potomac Falls, VA 20165
P:(703) 433-0707 F:(703) 433-0369 http://www.usgbcncr.org

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